Thermal insulation and method of manufacture



Fg 28, i945 G. P. I ElsTENsNnDER ET AL 293539594 THERMAL INSULATION AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Filed March 5, 1943 ATTORNEY Patenteil Aug. 28, 1945 UNITED' 'STATES PATENT oF Fics THERMAL INSULATION AND METHOD OF MANUFACTUREA George P. Leistensnider, Somerville, and Harry H.

Rinehart, Plainfield, N. J., assignors to Johns- Manvillc Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 5, 1943, serial No. 473,156

(ci. :uso-41) v 2 Claims. The present invention relates to thermal insulation, and is particularly directed to improved.

an extrusion shaped thermal insulation element of uniform texture and strong, flexible, air-im- -pervious structure adapted for insulating airplane engine parts to insure eiicientoperation over a wide range of operating temperatures.

Other objects of the invention are to provide fiber-binder insulating shapes which are suiciently firm, tough and' resilient to resist any abrasive action of sand suspended in air streams impinging thereon, and to absorb repeated viinjury; and which are at the same time noninflammable and resistant to deterioration by contact with oil, water and gasoline.

Still another object is to provide a ber-binder composition in which the binder in a plastic state has sumcient wet cohesion strength and sufieient plasticity as to permit of shaping by extrusion to precise dimensions. l

Another object is to provide a ber-binder composition in which the binder, after removal of solvent, possesses suicient dry adhesion strength and stability to retain exibility and toughness throughout operating temperature ranges between 70 F. and 350 F.

A further object is to provide a method whereby a name-proof and. oil-proof tubular insulating shape of strong, tough and exible structure and substantially uniform air-impervious'texture can be produced in an economical and ecient manner.

` To provide a. exibleytubular insulating elevment of the requisite temperature stability and insulating properties for suitably protecting radial airplane engine parts of the type specified during cold weather operation, it has ben found that the principal constituent of thei sulation e should be mineral bers such as asbestos or rock wool, .or mixtures thereof. The minerai fibers should comprise at least 60% by weight of the nished product, and the balance of the product must accordingly comprise a heat and oil resistant binder capable of developing an adherent and flexible, substantially non-shrinking physical bond coating and uniting the ibers into a strong, resilient and uniformly textured shape. It is also essential that the bondingagent have high wet and dry adhesive strength and good temperature stability to retain its exibility and strength over a comparatively wide operating temperature range.

An important feature of the present invention is, therefore, toeiiect uniform admixture and distribution of mineral reinforcing fibers and flexible adhesive organic binder, and to develop a suitably .strong and tenacious bond between these materials.

A still further object of the invention is to develop a bonding medium having a high degree of adhesiveness for mineral iibers, both in the cured product and in the uncured plastic composition from which the cured tubular product is produced by extrusion and drying.

With the above and other objects and features in view, the invention consists in the improved ber-binder insulating composition and method of manufacture which is hereinafter described and more particularly definedin the appended claims.

In the following description, reference will be made to the accompanying drawing as presenting an illustrative example of a tubular fiberbinder insulating shape and of the method employed in its manufacture.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 presents in diagrammatic ow sheet form the principal steps involved in producing fiber-binder insulating shapes-in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspectivev view of a longitudinally slit extruded and cured tubular insulating shape comprising the fiber-binder composition of the present invention and particularly adapted for use for insulating radial airplane engine push rod housings; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the shape of Fig. 2 opened into a substantially at sheet preparatory to its application as an insulating covering for a pipe or the like; and Fig. 4 is-a view in cross-section illustrating a modied'form of pin and nozzle die adapted for extruding ells or similar curved tubular shapes.

A binder suitable for use in the proportions inslstance, air impermeability, and non-flammability. can `best be produced from synthetic resins or plastics of the polyvinyl type, including particularly such rubberlike plastics as poly-chloroprene, butadiene-acrylonitrile and butadiene-styrene copolymers, and lcopolymers of vinyl-chloride with vinyl-acetate or vinylidene chloride. It is desirable that such rubber-like plastics be highly plasticized, preferably with flame-proofing plasticizers ofthe type of chlorinated diphenyl or tricresyl phosphate. To impart to the binder the degrees of plasticity, wet strength and cohesion which are necessary for producing a plastic liber-binder composition of the indicated iiber content suitable for extrusion to tubular shapes of precise dimensions, it has been found that the resin component of the binder must be milled to the consistency of a fluid cement in the pres- The following formula is one which has been found suitable for preparing tubular insulation shapes in accordance with the present invention:

' Parts by. Ingredient weight Per cent Pulg-chloroprene (Neoprene G. N.) 13. Lig "shined magnesia Zinc oxide Phenyl beta naphthylamine anti-oxidan Light petroleum solvent (Solvesso #1) 27. Chloro-diphenyl plssticizer (Arochlor 1262) 4. Mineral wool- 39. Asbestos ber (A-mosite) 13.

The composition may be prepared in a. plastic form suitable for shaping by extrusion, by first -forming a highly adhesive cement.. The polychloroprene is rst mixed with the magnesia and the zinc oxide and the anti-oxidant by thorough milling, as on a suitable rubber mill IU. The dry mixture thus produced is then placed in an agitator mixer l2 such as a Ross mixer, the petroleum hydrocarbon solvent is added thereto, and the lcement thus formed is reduced to a highly plastic cement of nuid consistency by agitation mixing over a period oi several hours. (For example, 8-10 hours.) The polyhloroprene cement resulting from this mixing operation is then introduced to a dough or fkneading" type of mixer i4 and the plasticizer is added and thoroughly` kneaded into the cement over a period sufficient to insure a uniform plastic product.

In the meantime, the asbestos ber is subjected to a berizing or separating operation, as by passing through a, conventional asbestos nberizing unit, and the berized asbestos is then thoroughly mixed with the mineral wool, as by passthrough a willowing unit i6, vThe thus willowed asbestos and mineral wool (i. e. rock wool) are then gradually added to and mixed' with the `plasticized poly-chloroprene cement; the mixing and agitating operation being continued in mixer Il until the fiber-'binder mixture has a uniformy eiect on the wet to dry shrinkage oi' the extruded product. due to breaking up of the ilbers and consequent loss o! resilience o! the product.

The next step in producing the extruded Atubular shapes is to force the uniformly textured arid plastic uber-binder mixture under pressure through a pin and noz'zle extrusion diei dimensioned to the precise cross-sectional dimensions oi the desired tubular For extruding shapes o! 1" inside diameter. 1%" outside diameter and-7"9" lengths. the necessary extrusion pressure may be developed by a force of approximately 150B lbs. per square inch applied to the plastic extrusion mixture through a 10" piston. From the extrusion die the shapes are discharged at to atmosphere. where they can be immediately cut'to ysuitable length and then dried in an oven 22 at temperaturesnot ex'- assaooe In order that the resulting tubular insulating shape 24 may be easily tted over short sectioned oil pipes or other tubular engine parts, it has been found advantageous to slit it longitudinally as at 26 (Fig. 2). When properly made in accordance with the present invention, the tubes can be opened at the longitudinal slit sumcientiy for slipping over a pipe or rod as an insulating shield, without developing cracks at that portion 28 of the element (diametrically opposite the slit) which functions as a hinge during the opening operation. The tubes should have sumcient nexiblity and resilience so' that they can be opened vection heat losses within a practical minimum, lshould lie between 6 0-70 lbs. per cubic4 foot. .The

composition of the tubular shapes is such that they can be readily slit longitudinally by a knife, by saw or by a piano wire. Also, in cases where it is necessary to cut out portions 30 ofthe tube to accommodate irregular iittings, such operation can be eiectedby grinding with a reasonably coarse grinding wheel.

A test strip made from a composition correspending to the aforementioned formula 'land molded and cured in the manner described, exhibited a tensile strength of '706 lbs. per square inch, with an elongation before. failure oi .05 inch per inch of length. Such strip had a minimumA cross-sectional dimension of-l" x te". A sheet of the same composition exhibited a compression strength and resilience such as yto snap back to 100% original dimension after being compressed to approximately half itsoriginal thickness under a load approximating 2500 lbs. per square inch. A strip of the same composition of approximately 1/3 inch thickness, 11/2 inch width, and l1 inch length, -when subjected to twisting between grips spaced 9 inches apart, exhibited a torsion- The iiber content Vof the cured tubular shape should normally range between 65%75% by weight, and consists preferably y01.2 to 3 parts mineral-wool (i. e. rock wool) and about 1 part asbestos ber. A product of even higher .tensile strength has been made in accordance with the following extrudable plastic formula:

` Puts by ingredient "um made in accordance with the process and formulas herein described have tensile strengths greaterthan 600 lbs, per square inch, and have such high nexibility `as to permit of attening out tubeof1"d1ameterwith0ut0ncking,md'

suchhignresiliencesstoaliowatuholomt- Extruded insulating tubes which have been chlorodiphenyl employed binder. While the products resulting from the extrusion wool bers in the composition, and from the presence of exceptionally high proportions of plasticizers of the type of tricresyl phosphate and with a polyvinyl resin and drying of the plastic composition herein referred to have a texture which is substantially uniform throughout, with the bers uniformly distributed within .the product, it has been noted l that the bers are in general longitudinal arrangement or lay, so that the resulting shapes have substantial uniformly of strength and toughness, but maximum tear resistance in a direction transverse to the lay nf the bers. This alignment of the bers in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube takes place during the high pressure extrusion operation. Primarily as a result of this tendency of the bers to align themselves in the direction of extrusion, it has been found possible to form curved shapes such as tubular elbows 32, by continuous extrusion through a pin and nozzle die in which a bore-forming pin-Mds supported by a spider 36 with its major axis intersecting the longitudinal axis of the die nozzle at a small acute angle (Fig. 4). In other words, the rearward end of pin 36 adjacent the discharge endl of the nozzle is slightly offset, for example 31,",

composition of the present invention as having` high .wet adhesive strength or cohesion, such terms are used in their normal sense to dene a composition which, when shaped to any panticular form by an extrusion molding operation, re-

with respect to the major axis ofthe nozzle, while the forward end of the pin coincides with the nozzle axis. A curvature can -thus be imparted to the extruded shape without unduly weakening its structure asa result of. developing some nonuniformity of wall thickness.

For some purposes the extruded .insulating shapes herein described may be formed of less resilient oil and heat proof compositions, and inv certain cases at least part of the asbestos or mineral wool content may be replaced with vegetable bers such as cotton or ax. However.` the important featuresof the present invention chiefly depend on the use of a mixture of mineral bers and polyvinyl type resin binder in which the ber content is comparatively large (i. e.l

65%-75% by weight) and in which the resulting cured product possesses good 'insulating properties, and also a high degree of air impermeabllity, exibility, tensile strength and stability over a. comparatively wide temperature range.

3. In characterizing the uncured or plastic ber tainssuch form and dimensions during subsequent drying and vaporization of solvent, unless distorted by application of distorting forces. It is this property of the plastic composition which makes it possible to extrude to precise dimensions tubular shapes of varying wall thickness, density and porosity. I'he plasticity and wet adhesion strength of the binder components are such that long and harsh reinforcing bers of the type of mineral wool and amosite asbestos may advantageously be employed in the composition without serious adverse eiect on the homogeneous texture and ready extrudability of the plastic composition. The` presence of such high.

proportions of long and harsh mineral bers imparts to the dried and cured product a, high degree of toughness and exibility along with low density and high tensile and compression strength.

Since many variations may be made from the illustrative details given, without departing from the scope of the invention, .it is. intended .that the invention should be limited only by the Iterms of the claims interpreted as broadly as consistent with novelty over the prior art. l

What we claim is:

1. A process for manufacturing plastic insulation suitable for. extrusion molding which comprises, thoroughly mixing a binder comprising about 1 part by weight of rubbery polyvinyl resin with approximately l/1-1/2 part of a flameproofposition of plastic, putty-like consistency su'it-v able for extrusion molding comprising, about 50% by weight of mineral wool and amosite asbestos bers inthe proportions of about 23:1, and about 50% of a highly plasticized polyvinyl resin cement containing about 5 parts solids and 8 parts solvent adapted to produce with the plasticized resin a uid cement comprising a colloidal gel-like. suspension, Ithe solids portion of the resin cement comprising chiey a robbery polyvinyl resin and a ameproong plasticizer in the proportions of approximate 24:1.

. I l l v HARRY H. RUEHART.

GEORGE P.Lnrs'I'ENsNmna. Y i 

